New York Firebirds
The New York Firebirds are a team based in New York City. They play in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference. They were founded in 2011 as part of the Coast Extreme League. History The New York Firebirds were founded in 2011 by Wolfgang "Wolf" McMahon as part of the Coast Extreme League. They would sign legendary Head Coach Hugh Walker and linebacker Ted Forbes. The duo would go on to lead the Firebirds in their win of the inaugural Extreme Coast Championship that year against the Miami Pimps. In 2015, the Coast Extreme League merged with the Texas Southern League, creating the Eastern Coast League. They were able to win the inaugural trophy there, too. Ted Forbes, their legendary linebacker, won another MVP trophy. 2016 - The Eastern Coast League merges with the failing Arena Football League to create the Blitz League of America. The influx of money allows the Blitz League to add the Los Angeles Riot (the first West-Coast Team) and hold the first-ever Blitz Bowl. The New York Firebirds, with the addition of former Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner, beat the Los Angeles Riot 17-16 and take home the first Blitz Bowl Trophy. The team is greeted surprisingly well, with over 30,000 fans coming out to greet the team on their championship walk around the Financial District. 2017 - The Firebirds return to the Blitz Bowl, only to be defeated by the Orlando Phantoms. After the season, Hugh Walker announces his retirement from the Blitz League. The Firebirds replace him with Mike Singletary, the defensive superstar from the '85 Bears. 2018 - In Singletary's first year, things don't go as planned. The Firebirds are beat in the first round of the playoffs, a far cry from where they finished just one year ago. Singletary announces that it's a process because many of the original defensive stars from the Firebirds retired. Still, Singletary is shunned by the New York media. 2019 - After signing Josh Gordon from the NFL (due to lax drug policies in the Blitz League of America), and drafting cornerback Victor Cassell, Singletary leads the Firebirds back to the Blitz Bowl. Devin Gardner, quarterback of the New York Firebirds, wins the League MVP. The Firebirds, however, are beaten once again, 30-14, this time against the Los Angeles Riot. Ted Forbes retires after the loss, realizing he probably will never win another Blitz Bowl with the Firebirds. 2022 - Singletary retires after the end of the season after being bounced in the first round of the playoffs three years in a row. Devin Gardner follows suit, announcing his retirement as well. Singletary is replaced by new coach Clive Hanson, who successfully keeps rising star Damian Bell on the team. The Firebirds become a decent team in the Blitz League. They make the playoffs in the next seven years, but never make it past the Divisional Playoff. 2030 - The Firebirds go 8-10, missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Victor Cassell retires and Damian Bell is shipped off to the Los Angeles Riot. Clive Hanson is shunned in the New York media, reminiscent of what happened to Mike Singletary. 2032 - In Week 10 of the regular season, the Firebirds suffer their worst loss in franchise history, losing 44-0 to ex-Firebird Damian Bell and the Los Angeles Riot. After the game, Clive Hanson is shot dead. His murder is supposedly a mob hit, but no one knows for sure. He is replaced by interim Head Coach Brooke Shula, the first female coach and youngest coach in Blitz League History. She can't lead the Firebirds out of the mud, however, but they do go 3-5 under her, better than the 1-9 mark they compiled with Clive Hanson. They are still the worst team in the league, so they pick HB Tyrell Pittmon out of Michigan. 2033 - The first full year under Brooke Shula shows some improvement from the previous season. The team goes 9-9, again failing to reach the playoffs. This proves to be Brooke's final year in New York, as the Firebirds end up hiring Sean McVay. The move is called sexist, but Wolf McMahon says that he wants someone with experience and pedigree. 2034 - Sean McVay's first season shows improvement for the Firebirds, as they get the final wild-card spot in the playoffs. They are, however, beaten by the South Carolina Spiders in the Wild-Card round. 2036 - The "Golden Era" of the Firebirds begins. With the signing of quarterback Nicholas Riccio, the Firebirds go from playoff team to Blitz Bowl favorite. Riccio doesn't disappoint. He leads the Firebirds to a 17-1 regular season record before beating the Las Vegas Outlaws in Blitz Bowl XXI. Riccio captures the Blitz League MVP and the Blitz Bowl MVP award. The Firebirds finish the season with a record of 20-1. The Firebirds 2036 campaign is considered the greatest season of all time, and the 2036 Firebirds are considered the greatest team of all time. Championships Blitz Bowl Championships The Firebirds have won a total of five Blitz Bowls, the most in Blitz League of America history. Blitz Bowl Appearances The Firebirds Rivalries Players of Note __FORCETOC__